RARE GAMBLE: Yankees Snag Cardinals Pitcher Cade Winquest in First Rule 5 Pick Since 2011.vc

ENDING THE 14-YEAR DROUGHT

The New York Yankees made a surprising and bold move to conclude the Winter Meetings, selecting right-handed pitcher Cade Winquest from the St. Louis Cardinals with the $30^{\text{th}}$ pick in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

The selection is considered historic: it marks the Yankees’ first pick in the Major League Rule 5 Draft since 2011, ending a 14-year drought where the Yankees typically sat out due to their roster crunch.

The gamble is not without significant risk, as the Yankees must carry Winquest on their active 26-man roster for the entire 2026 season or offer him back to the Cardinals. But the move speaks volumes about the team’s urgent need for bullpen help after losing Devin Williams and other key relievers this offseason.

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THE PLAYER: CADE WINQUEST

Winquest, a 25-year-old former $8^{\text{th}}$-round pick, possesses the high-upside arsenal the Yankees’ pitching lab loves:

• High Velocity: His fastball has been clocked near triple-digits.
• Arsenal: He mixes in a mid-$80$s cutter and a high-whiff-rate breaking ball.
• Double-A Success: He found his stride after a promotion to Double-A Springfield in July, posting a solid 3.19 ERA with 42 strikeouts in $42.1$ innings.

Yankees assistant general manager Mike Fishman confirmed the organization has been targeting Winquest for years, stating: “He’s got big velocity and has the characteristics that our pitching group is good at working with. We felt like he was the right guy who could help us.”

THE RISK VS. REWARD

For the Yankees, the $100,000 acquisition cost is minimal, but the 40-man roster spot commitment is steep. Winquest has mostly been a starter in the minors, and his career minor league ERA is $4.19$. The Yankees view him strictly as a hard-throwing reliever, hoping the high-octane stuff plays up in short bursts.

• Reward: If the Yankees succeed in converting him, they gain a cost-controlled, high-leverage reliever for years to come—a vital piece for a bullpen that is currently under construction.
• Risk: If he struggles with control or fails to adjust to Major League hitters, he occupies a precious roster spot for a full season on a team with World Series aspirations.

For the Cardinals, losing a highly-touted arm like Winquest is a clear organizational loss, showing the confidence the Yankees have in their ability to develop the raw talent immediately. The Yankees finally made their bold move, and now the pressure is on the player—and the coaching staff—to make it stick.